Pre-loading on cheap drinks common: study

A major study conducted in Newcastle and Geelong in Victoria, has raised concerns about young people drinking heavily before going out, in order to avoid buying expensive drinks at pubs and clubs.

One in ten people surveyed in the Deakin University research said they drank more than 11 standard drinks before reaching a venue, while some reported having as many as 25.

The data was collected as part of Australia's largest study into alcohol-related night-time crime which also looked at the effectiveness of licensing regulations in Newcastle.

The study's lead author, Associate Professor Peter Miller says it is extremely common for people to drink at least six drinks before going out.

"One of the major findings was that a lot of people are pre-loading and that predicts greater experience of violence," he said.

"So if you have more than six drinks before you go out you are twice as likely to experience violence."

Associate Professor Miller says one possible solution would be to make the practice less affordable by charging bottle shops a levy.

"Currently all of the very cheap liquor being sold from the very large packaged liquor outlets contributes to harm but it doesn't actually contribute to any of the measures that ameliorate that harm, such as the security, police out at night, people in emergency departments."

But Russell Richardson, who owns Newcastle's Fanny's nightclub and the King Street hotel says he is not sure a levy is the answer.

"I don't necessarily think that putting up taxes and making people pay more," he said.

"I don't know the answer to that, it's a complex issue.

"They're paying at least 3 times as much within our venues to actually have the same drink.

"So it's just human nature when you're an 18-year-old kid, if it's nice and cheap, you're going to pre-load."

Meanwhile, Mr Richardson has also dismissed the findings of the study as out-of-date and irrelevant.

The study found that drinking restrictions and early closing times in effect in Newcastle were the most effective way of reducing alcohol-related harm, rather than ID scanning systems.

But Mr Richardson who along with several other licensees have recently installed scanners, says the study is relying on old technology and data.

"This report is quite old, its data dates back at least two years, in some cases even prior to that.

"Obviously technology changes daily, and the ID scanning system we've got currently in Newcastle is state of the art and the latest technology available."